Eight Man		Grade: C-
	Publisher: SNK (1991) Reviewed: 2003/6/17

You can usually pick up this side-scroller for pretty cheap, but there's a reason for that. The game provides some generic punch and kick action, but nothing more. Eight Man himself looks like a full-grown Mega-Man - in other words a complete dork. Still, as fast as Eight Man moves, you're not likely to notice how dumb his outfit looks. The action is spastic with multitudes of explosions and endless look-alike thugs. The action is fast and repetitive, and you can get into a Matrix-like groove in the middle of it all. Unlike other games like Ninja Combat, Eight Man can handle just about everything thrown his way. He has rapid-fire kicks and punches, as well as bombs for tight situations. There's some platform jumping, but nothing too difficult. The characters are large and colorful but not interesting, and the bosses are forgettable as well. The single unique aspect of Eight Man is the "running" stages, which lets him do his thing while running at blazing speeds. But since your enemies move just as fast, the gameplay isn't much different after all, and in fact these stages are less fun. The two-player simultaneous mode is supposed to incorporate some cooperative moves, but the screen gets too hectic to tell what's going on. Stick to the single-player mode for best results. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Fatal Fury		Grade: C
	Publisher: SNK (1991) Reviewed: 2005/8/17

This is it - the very first fighter for the Neo Geo. Designed to compete with Street Fighter II (SNES, 1992), Fatal Fury certainly holds its own on the graphical level. The large fighters and multi-layered scenery are done in exactly the same style, and the backgrounds even change between rounds (as day turns to night). A few of the characters look somewhat like their Street Fighter counterparts. Joe Higashi is a kickboxer along the lines of Sagat, and Michael Max bears more than a passing resemblance to Balrog. Some of the more original characters include Richard Myer who can fight while standing on his head, and Tung Fu Rue, an elderly Asian man who transforms into a Hulk Hogan look-alike. Terry Bogard (a long time SNK favorite) is an American decked out in jeans, a red Michael Jackson jacket, and a trucker cap. Duck King sports a mohawk haircut and MC Hammer-style baggy pants. It's a shame only three characters are playable (Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Joe Higashi). The number of moves is limited, and special moves are often hard to execute. Still, they do inflict major damage, resulting in surprisingly brief matches. The time limit for each round is 45 seconds - half that of Street Fighter 2. One unique feature is how the characters battle on two planes, moving between the foreground and background. This inter-plane movement is mostly automatic however, and it can be confusing. I really love the scenery - particularly the carnival, subway station, and beach. The rain in the Howard Arena stage looks like crap though! It's just a bunch of white lines! A terrific bonus stage lets you arm-wrestle a guy by tapping a button, and it's pretty intense. Despite clearly showing its age, Fatal Fury still packs some old school charm. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Fatal Fury Special		Grade: B
	Publisher: SNK (1993) Reviewed: 2003/7/15

I was initially exposed to the Fatal Fury series through the two SNES carts that play like second-rate Street Fighter II (SF2) clones. But Fatal Fury Special (FFS) is a different story. Sporting terrific graphics and amazing playability, this one-on-one fighter is terrific. The 15 characters are huge and diverse, although I personally think there are too many ugly fat guys and not enough females (only one!). I noticed some definite resemblances to SF2 characters, particularly Sagat (Joe) and Chun Li (Mai). The backgrounds are colorful, imaginative, and many scroll sideways, but what's with the purple water? Anyway, the gameplay is what really counts, and Fatal Fury Special delivers big time. There are two punch and two kick buttons, and the SF2-inspired special moves are easy to execute. The CPU opponent is surprisingly clever and won't fall for the standard strategies. One original aspect of FFS is the ability to fight on two planes. By pressing A and B together, you can move between the foreground and background, and can even execute special attacks while moving between them. It's a cool effect and it adds a new dimension to the gameplay - literally. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Football Frenzy		Grade: D+
	Publisher: SNK (1990) Reviewed: 2002/9/6

Football Frenzy had some serious potential, but serious flaws in the passing game prevent it from being great. Fast, button-tapping arcade action is what this game is all about, and Football Frenzy certainly lives up to its name. The players are large and nicely animated, and tapping the A button increases your speed. The defense can always see what play you choose, but it doesn't make much difference. Running the ball is a lot of fun and you can sometimes squeeze between a gang of tacklers. But passing? Forget it! Most of your receivers are off-screen, and the softly thrown balls are easily picked off by defenders. Half of the passes are intercepted! That's a shame, because Football Frenzy has some killer features. The camera zooms in on running plays, and the tackles look great. Cheerleaders provide a provocative halftime show, and best of all, the music absolutely rocks! I'm telling you, these tunes really get your adrenaline going. But without a decent passing attack, Frenzy ultimately falls short. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Ghost Pilots		Grade: B+
	Publisher: SNK (1991) Reviewed: 2004/11/13

Some might criticize this vertical shooter for not showing off the Neo Geo's full capabilities. It's true, but there's no denying that Ghost Pilots is still a lot of fun. Although its gameplay is slower than other Neo Geo shooters, the challenge is less insurmountable and you can really get into a zone playing it. You pilot WWII-era planes, taking out tanks, ships, and enemy aircraft flying in formation. Comparisons to 1942 are obvious, but Ghost Pilots is much better, with huge sprites, nifty scaling effects, and a two-player simultaneous mode. The action is smooth and easy to control, and the military-style music adds a sense of urgency. Your plane's guns can power up to three levels, and you also have a supply of bombs. I appreciate how the bombs absorb incoming missiles, doubling as a shield. The background scenery is clean but unspectacular, and the bosses tend to be generic mechanical beasts. After finishing the first stage, you can choose one of two stages to play next, as well as the type of bomb you'd like to employ. Ghosts Pilots limits you to three continues, so you probably won't blow through the game in one sitting. The high scores are not saved, which is a bummer. But as one of the more affordable Neo Geo shooters, Ghost Pilots is definitely worth tracking down. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Karnov's Revenge		Grade: B+
	Publisher: Data East (1994) Reviewed: 2008/1/6

Now this is a hard game to grade! Karnov's Revenge (aka Fighter's History Dynamite) may be the most blatant Street Fighter 2 (SF2) rip-off ever produced. But it is good! In fact, it almost plays a better game of Street Fighter 2 than Street Fighter 2! The overall design and style of the game is identical, from the character selection menus, to the familiar controller movements, to the post-fight victory screens. Even many of the fighters seem like SF2 clones. Only the freaky "Clown" and that "Ryoko" kid (both rather unlikable) stand out as original characters. Jean looks like a gay version of Guile, decked out in suspenders and holding a rose. Despite its derivative nature, Karnov's gameplay is extremely engaging, with well-balanced characters and intuitive controls. The animation rivals SF2 and the nicely-rendered backgrounds feature interesting animations and breakable props. A wide range of exotic locations are represented, including an Asian temple, a tranquil waterfall, the stage of a rock concert, and an African savannah with animal spectators. The scenery changes slightly between rounds, often reflecting day turning into night. My personal favorite is the magnificent city night skyline - it has a real Streets of Rage vibe. Karnov's audio is also high quality, offering numerous voice samples and well-composed background music that increases in tempo as a round nears conclusion. One original aspect of the game is how parts of fighter's outfits can break off, like a chest protector or mask. This triggers a cheesy "boing" sound effect, indicating your foe is dazed. There aren't many surprises, but if you appreciate one-on-one fighters, the overall quality of Karnov's Revenge is hard to deny. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

King of Fighters '95 (CD)		Grade: C+
	Publisher: SNK (1995) Reviewed: 2003/7/15

After releasing a string of highly acclaimed 2D fighters, how could SNK top its success? By releasing a "all-star" game with characters from several of its top fighters, including Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury. The result is King of FIghters '95, which provides a wide array of characters but decidedly watered-down gameplay. There are twenty-four familiar faces here, along with their traditional stages. I only wish the character select screen included names to make the fighters easier to identify. King of FIghters '95 looks a heck of a lot like Super Street Fighter 2, but the control scheme is more like Fatal Fury (two punch and two kick buttons). New moves allow you to deflect attacks, counter attacks, power-up, and even "diss" your opponent. The character balance and AI could benefit from some tightening up. Certain fighters like the huge ball-and-chain toting Chan Koehan seem to easily overpower the rest. I also noticed some minor collision detection problems, which is rare for an SNK game. The background scenery is uneven in quality. Some stages (like the pier) are breathtaking, while others (like the bar) look noticeably pixilated. The music is also a mixed bag, with high-energy rock jams mixed in with some easy-listening garbage. And while the three-man team mode is a nice idea, it doesn't work well with the CD version, since each player needs to be loaded individually (that could mean six loads screens per match!). Of course, if you're lucky enough to have the cartridge, then you're in good shape. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

King of the Monsters		Grade: B-
	Publisher: SNK (1991) Reviewed: 2005/8/17

I wasn't impressed with King of the Monsters for the Genesis, but this game shines on Neo Geo hardware. It's a free-roaming fighter featuring creatures inspired by movies like Godzilla and King Kong. The mammoth creatures are large and distinct, and the level of detail is exemplary. In addition to the obligatory lizard and ape characters, there's a slime monster, a rock monster, a giant bug, and a cheesy superhero. The control scheme lets you punch, kick, jump, and run. When fighters get tangled up, there's also some nifty grapple moves including a piledriver and suplex. If this sounds like a wrestling game - well, it really is. Heck, you even need to "pin" your foe once you've drained his health. I'm not a big fan of wrestling games, and I wish SNK had put more emphasis on interacting with the urban scenery. Sure, buildings get crushed as monsters get tossed around, but it's not a major part of the strategy. Occasionally you can pick up and toss a plane or tank, but the act of throwing is so sluggish that you usually get nailed in the process. Another issue is the relatively small battlefields; you're constantly running into electronic force field boundaries that toss you back into the middle. King of Monster's gameplay is just average, but the city graphics really steal the show. From towering skyscrapers, to factories, to suspension bridges, there's a lot of stuff to break, and I like that. In addition, it's possible to team up with a buddy to face off against two computer-controlled monsters. Even if it's not a classic, King of Monsters does manage to showcase what the Neo Geo is capable of. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Last Resort		Grade: B
	Publisher: SNK (1992) Reviewed: 2004/2/21

With Last Resort, we're approaching the upper reaches of the Neo Geo shooter food chain. It's one of the better-rated shooters for the system, and certainly one of the more difficult. In fact, the stream of expletives that flew out of my mouth as I continuously died at the hands of this game is nearly unmatched. The box cover states, "Earth is under attack. You're the Last Resort". You know, that isn't exactly the vote of confidence you look for before embarking on a mission to save the world. It sounds like they asked everyone else before finally settling on my sorry ass. Anyway, Last Resort is one of the best looking side-scrolling shooters you'll ever see. The first stage features a gorgeous city skyline effectively rendered in vibrant red hues, and the second stage features torrential rain and a partially submerged city. Enemies are mainly metallic ships, and their pilots actually eject as their ships explode. This visual effect seems quite amazing at first, but is overused during the course of the game. Objects in this game tend to be quite large, and you'll often find yourself running short on screen real estate. Last Resort's gameplay is intense and relentless. Your ship is equipped with a round pod that functions as both a shield and extra gun (much like R-Type). You can "charge up" this unit to inflict major damage, which is critical to your survival after the first stage. One aspect of the game I dislike is how enemies can materialize around you suddenly. Last Resort's high energy, adrenaline-pumping music is absolutely first-rate. This is a quality shooter, but its difficulty will make you grateful for the unlimited continues. It's much easier with two players, although slowdown is an issue and it can be hard to tell what's going on amidst all the mayhem. If you're looking to buy a copy of Last Resort, I'd recommend the CD version over the far more expensive cartridge. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

League Bowling		Grade: B+
	Publisher: SNK (1991) Reviewed: 2007/4/11

League Bowling combines simple controls, brisk pacing, and sparkling graphics to produce an irresistibly fun ten-pin experience. Up to four players can compete in a game, and even more impressive is how a well-executed split screen lets two players bowl simultaneously! I've never seen that before in a bowling game, but it's a terrific idea. The bowlers are spiky-haired punks, and it's a shame you can't be the top-heavy blonde who appears in the cut scenes. League Bowling's controls are as simple as they need to be - no more. Once you position your bowler, you use a "control meter" to apply spin, followed by a power meter. Excellent scaling effects show the ball approaching the pins, and the physics of the pins bouncing around is convincing enough. The collision detection seems slightly off however, as the edge of the ball will sometimes clearly pass through a pin. Goofy animations accentuate particularly good or bad rolls, showing your bowler falling off a building or being run over by a truck. In addition to the normal bowling, two other modes include Strike 90 (bigger points for marks) and Flash (random points for marks). Personally, I don't really see what these extra modes have to offer. Also included is a "link" function that lets you chain two Neo Geos together (via a port in the cartridge) for some four player simultaneous action. I can't imagine many gamers being able to take advantage of that, but it would be pretty cool. All in all, League Bowling is just plain fun, and may well be the best bowling game of all time. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 to 4 players